2020.06.25
The birthplace of cultured pearls – Ise Shima – History of Pearl Farming

Ise Shima is the first place in the world to succeed in producing round pearls.

In 1890 Mr. Kokichi Mikimoto, a merchant from Shima who dreamed of producing gem-quality pearls and became a founder MIKIMOTO later, started to farm mother oysters in Ise Shima with help from professor of Tokyo University Dr, Kakichi Mitsukuri.

Natural pearls were highly prized in Japan too and over-harvested to the point of near extinction by the late 1800s.

Researcher, Mr. Tokichi Nishikawa carried out pearl studies under Mitsukuri’s tutelage. Mr. Nishikawa established a method to create round pearls by grafting a piece of the mantle from a donor oyster and inserting it into the recipient oyster.

It’s done in Ise Shima. This technique spread to the world from Ise Shima by people of Ise Shima and has contributed to the growth of pearl industry in every country.

But Ise Shima is not only for pearl farming. After harvesting, cleaning, processing, grading and making jewelley this whole process also started in Ise Shima.
The treasure, Akoya Pearls from Ise Shima have the timeless beauty beyond history resulted from hard work, love and attention over 120 years.
Ise Shima is the origin of Pearl Industry.